Political Support For Medical Marijuana Begins To Waft Away – Daily Pilot

Suggested changes to Monahan’s earlier draft, some of which came from Councilwoman Katrina Foley, included an annual business license fee as high as $10,000, charging $10 monthly for each square foot within a dispensary and taxing 15% of its gross receipts. Monahan called those add-ons a “joke.” “I cannot agree with that in any way, shape or form,” he said. Other suggestions were prohibiting home delivery of marijuana supplies and implementing a cost-recovery system to City Hall, should dispensaries attract so-called “excessive” amounts of police attention. Monahan contended that prohibiting delivery hurts the neediest of patients. “The sickest of the sick need it delivered,” he said. “And that’s who we’re talking about.” Councilwoman Sandy Genis said she feared delivery drivers would be susceptible to theft of their supplies or money. Foley said marijuana dispensaries in Costa Mesa would attract the undue influence of cartels selling drugs for profit, not their possible medical benefits. “To me, this is a money grab,” she said. “It’s not a money grab by the City Council. It’s a money grab by what I see as loads and loads of cash that are going to be streaming through our city with no controls whatsoever.” Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer agreed. “It’s millions and millions of dollars,” he said. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-me-0312-marijuana-ordinance-20150311,0,1066966.story?track=rss